Sunday, February 20, 2011

Al here with a little blast from the past - a Cankor pin-up from issue #4 of ALL-WINNING KRAUT-SMASHERS! While there's no signature visible on this piece that unmistakable linework lets us know that this was penciled by Benjie Stankleton and inked by Boris Nubb.

Quick story - we were having our annual Holiday party in the COC offices back in 1966 and Stanky was on his seventh rusty nail when he took a swing at Bobo after the equally inebriated inker disparaged Stank's girlfriend at the time, a young Karen Black. Seems Boris had been making fun of her big lips and crossed eyes when Stanks attempted a haymaker, only to wind up punching out Stan Lee who had walked down to the party with Steve Ditko and Gil Kane. Kane and Ditko quickly stepped in and gave big Benjo a savage beating that sent him to the hospital with internal injuries. Ultimately Stankleton underwent a colon removal and ended up with a bag on his hip, which is how he ended up with the nickname "Stanky Shit Bag". Two months after he left the hospital I sold Benjie a .22 pistol which he took down to the Marvel offices and pointed right in Gil Kane's face, right at his drawing desk. Fortunately for Kane a quick-thinking Jack Kirby took Stank out with the German Luger he kept stashed in his belt.

Anyway, enjoy this rarely seen piece by one the greats. We'll be back next week with 3 new pages.